Method and apparatus for any which way check acceptance
An Any Which Way Check Acceptance method and apparatus is provided, which allow a set of checks to be deposited in a stack, where each check can be oriented in any of sixteen different ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the ATM check reader has an MICR and OCR scanner/reader. When a set of checks is deposited, each check is subjected to a MICR scan and an OCR scan. If the check is aligned correctly and right side up, then the check is processed based on the MICR scan information. If the check is not aligned correctly or is upside down, then the MICR read fails because the magnetic stripe on the check is not where it is expected to be. Rather than rejecting the check at this point, the invention uses the OCR scan information from both the front and back of the check to process the check.
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1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to check processing. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for a check reader to process checks that are not aligned correctly or are upside down.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Check depositing in automated banking machines are known in the prior art. Automatic banking machines are used to carry out transactions of value. A popular type of automated banking machine is an automated teller machine (ATM). Other types of automated banking machines are used to count and dispense cash. These machines are often used by tellers or customer service representatives in banking and other transaction environments. Other types of automated banking machines are used to make or receive payments, to dispense or receive tickets, travelers checks, scrip, cash, or other documents or items of value, or to electronically check or transfer funds.
Some ATM machines have the capability of receiving checks and other negotiable instruments. Such machines may include a device such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,467. Devices of this type can be used to cancel and produce electronic images of checks which are deposited into an ATM machine. The canceled checks are stored in the machine for later removal by bank personnel.
While such automated banking machines have been available for awhile and have experienced improvements, there still are some drawbacks. There still is not available a convenient and efficient technique for allowing an entire stack of checks to be deposited, regardless of the orientation of each of the checks in the stack.
A discussion on some of the prior art of currency and document orientation and sorting follows. For example, M. Owens, H. T. Graef, J. Eastman, M. Harty, and A. Junkins, U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,638, Automated Banking Machine with Currency Recycling Canisters (Dec. 26, 2000) discuss an automated banking machine identifying and storing documents, such as currency bills deposited by a user. The machine then selectively recovers such documents from storage and dispenses them to other users. The machine includes a central transport wherein documents deposited in a stack are unstacked, oriented, and identified. Such documents are then routed to particular storage areas in recycling canisters. When a user subsequently requests a dispense, documents stored in the storage areas are selectively picked therefrom and delivered to the user through an input/output area of the machine.
As another example, M. Force, T. H. Graef, R. Bowser, J. Eastman, M. Harty, A. Junkins, M. E. Lindroos, M. Owens, M. Ryan, A. Looney, and R. Shirah, U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,939, Method of Operating a Self-Auditing Automated Banking Machine (Jun. 8, 2004) similarly discuss an automated banking machine that identifies and stores documents such as currency bills deposited by a user. The machine selectively recovers stored documents and dispenses them. The machine includes a central transport wherein documents deposited in a stack are unstacked, oriented, and identified. Such documents are then routed to storage areas in. Documents in the storage areas are selectively picked therefrom and delivered to a user. Each canister includes a memory which holds information concerning the number and type of documents housed in the canister as well as other information concerning the hardware and software resident on the canister. The memory also includes data representative of individuals responsible for loading and transporting the canister. The machine conducts self-auditing activities to verify that the documents held in the storage areas correspond to the information stored in memory and indicate discrepancies.
In a third example, D. C. McGlamery, K. G. Harrington, R. M. Parsons, and R. G. Belchler, U.S. 2005/0139671, Method and System for Exception Processing of MICR Documents (Jun. 30, 2005) discuss a system and method for exception processing of MICR documents. MICR documents are read and sorted to a destination pocket for processing subject to a determination that an exception does not prevent the routing of the document. In example embodiments, for example, an error does not prevent the routing of the document if it is not related to the routing/transit field. In the case of digit errors, an optical character recognition (OCR) process is performed on the stored, electronic image of the document to correct digit errors in the stored data read from the documents. If a determination is made that correction or other exception processing cannot be handled through the OCR process, the image and corresponding MICR data is displayed on a user terminal, for manual verification or correction by reference to an image of the document, rather than the document itself.
As can be gleaned from the above, while there has been some development and progress in the handling of recycling currency or other sheets or documents representative of value received from a customer, or MICR line exception processing, such teachings nevertheless still lack the contemplation of allowing a set of checks to be deposited as a stack where each check can be oriented in sixteen different ways, without having to later re-orient any check.
It would therefore be advantageous to allow a set of checks to be deposited as a stack where each check can be oriented in sixteen different ways without having to later re-orient any check.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA method and apparatus for an Any Which Way Check Acceptance technique is provided. The method and apparatus allow a set of checks to be deposited as a stack, where each check can be oriented in any of sixteen different ways. In this way customers can deposit checks without worrying if the magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line is on the top and aligned on the right. In one embodiment of the invention, the automated teller machine (ATM) check reader has an MICR and optical character recognition (OCR) scanner/reader. When a set of checks is deposited, each check is subjected to an MICR scan and an OCR scan. If the check is aligned correctly and right side up, then the check is processed based on the MICR scan information. If the check is not aligned correctly or is upside down, then the MICR read fails because the magnetic stripe on the check is not where it is expected to be. Rather than rejecting the check at this point, the invention uses the OCR scan information from both the front and back of the check to process the check.
A method and apparatus for an Any Which Way Check Acceptance technique and mechanism is provided. The method and apparatus allow a set of checks to be deposited in a stack, where each check can be oriented in any of sixteen different ways. In this way customers can deposit checks without worrying if the magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line is on the top and aligned on the right. In one embodiment of the invention, the automated teller machine (ATM) check reader has an MICR and optical character recognition (OCR) scanner/reader. When a set of checks is deposited, each check is subjected to a MICR scan and an OCR scan. If the check is aligned correctly and right side up, then the check is processed based on the MICR scan information. If the check is not aligned correctly or is upside down, then the MICR read fails because the magnetic stripe on the check is not where it is expected to be. Rather than rejecting the check at this point, the invention uses the OCR scan information from both the front and back of the check to process the check.
In one embodiment of the invention, the step of determining whether or not the MICR scan failed is performed before an OCR scan. In this way, if the MICR scan is successful, then check is processed using the MICR scanned data.
It can be appreciated that the MICR scanner and the OCR scanner are separated conceptually in the example above, and that depending on certain technologies, the MICR scanning and the OCR scanning process can be performed by a single apparatus.
It can be appreciated that none of the components is confined to any machine and can be run on a host or remotely, depending on a given architecture the design of which is driven by business requirements.
Accordingly, although the invention has been described in detail with reference to particular preferred embodiments, persons possessing ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.
Claims
1. A computer implemented method for processing a stack of one or more checks regardless of orientation, comprising the steps of: each check having a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line, regardless of orientation with respect to said MICR line of any of said checks, such that each check can be deposited in sixteen different orientations, based on positioning of the MICR line; and determining if said step of scanning using said MICR scanner failed; processing said check using scanned data obtained from said MICR scan if said MICR scanning did not fail and going to step of ending process if no more checks;
- depositing a stack of one or more checks into an automated banking machine,
- performing the following steps for each check:
- scanning said check using a MICR scanner;
- scanning both sides of said check using an OCR scanner;
- processing said check using scanned data obtained from said OCR scan if said MICR scanning failed and going to step of ending process if no more checks;
- and ending process if no more checks.
2. A system on a computer network for processing a stack of one or more checks regardless of orientation, comprising: means for performing a process algorithm for each check comprising the following:
- means for depositing a stack of one or more checks into an automated banking machine, each check having a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line, regardless of orientation with respect to said MICR line of any of said checks, such that each check can be deposited in sixteen different orientations, based on positioning of the MICR line; and
- means for scanning said check using a MICR scanner;
- means for scanning both sides of said check using an OCR scanner;
- means for determining if means for scanning using said MICR scanner failed;
- means for processing said check using scanned data obtained from said MICR scan if said MICR scanning did not fail and going to control to means for ending process if no more checks;
- means for processing said check using scanned data obtained from said OCR scan if said MICR scanning failed and going to control to means for ending process if no more checks; and
- Means for ending process if no more checks.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Dec 8, 2006
Date of Patent: Jun 29, 2010
Patent Publication Number: 20080137939
Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (San Francisco, CA)
Inventors: Jimmy Wang (Alamo, CA), Steve Hatzirallis (San Francisco, CA), Jonathan Velline (Oakland, CA), Elizabeth Ann Schrag (Walnut Creek, CA)
Primary Examiner: Seyed Azarian
Attorney: Merchant & Gould P.C.
Application Number: 11/608,730
International Classification: G06K 9/00 (20060101); G06Q 40/00 (20060101);